Wednesdays: the “hump” day – seems to be the busiest day of the week. Today I turn for inspiration to Fr. Richard Rohr, founder of The Center for Action and Contemplation, based in Albuquerque, NM. cac.org

Richard Rohr’s little book, Preparing for Christmas, was my Advent gift to self this year. Turning to it today was a great uplifter. Tomorrow I start my holiday travel to spend time in Chicago with my mother. We lost Dad this past summer, and it’ll be her first Christmas in 55+years, without him.

Before I leave, there are all the loose ends to wrap up on my desks at home, school and office. Oh, and don’t forget to pull together documents for the new health care applications, gather income statements, etc. When I look at my end-of-year numbers, it can be a challenge not to plummet emotionally into the ‘compare & despair’ game.

Then I remember my commitment to write this blog, and turn to Richard Rohr’s daily reading for inspiration. Just what the spiritual doctor ordered.

Advent Reflections by Richard Rohr

In today’s reading for Wednesday, the third week of Advent, he concludes with the following: ”As John says, ‘Why do you look to one another for approval instead of the approval that comes from the one God?’ [5:44] So many of us accept either a successful or a negative self image instead of a system of false images to begin with!” This will never work. We must find our true self ‘hidden with Christ in God’ as Paul says [Colossians 3:3]. Or as Teresa of Avila put it, ‘Find God in yourself, and find yourself in God.‘ Then we do not go up and down, but are built on the Rock of Ages.”

Richard Rohr ends with asking us to reflect on which self-images, either positive or negative, interfere with our relationship to God. He points out that whenever we get defensive or go emotionally up and down, that it is a sign we are attached to a self-image.

Perfect medicine. For me, it means a return to contemplation, a resting in God. The place where all is well, despite seeming evidence to the contrary, as Julian of Norwich wrote.